9 months ago
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Wednesday marked day one of a strike for workers at a major auto supplier in Tuscaloosa. Nearly 200 workers at ZF in Tuscaloosa are now on strike. The company supplies front and rear axles for Mercedes-Benz in Vance. The workers on strike are members of the United Auto Workers Local 2083 union. "I think we are all on the same page as in better wages and better benefits," UAW Local 2083 chairperson Tammy Slayton said. Some of the workers on strike say they've worked for ZF since it opened in Tuscaloosa in 1997. "These are my brothers and sisters out here with me and we all work together, hard, and we're getting treated like really terrible," longtime employee Patsy McCain-Shelby said. Some workers say they're spending as many as 12 hours a day at work and believe their family lives are suffering as a result of it. "We lift heavy parts and we never know when we're getting off," McCain-Shelby added. "We work, usually 6 in the morning, 6:15, to 6:15 at night. And our family is waiting on us to see if we even get off at the right time or not." A spokesperson for ZF North America tells WVTM 13 that the strike in Tuscaloosa is a local negotiation and unrelated to the national discussions taking place in Detroit. "We remain committed to continuing negotiations in good faith and are hopeful that we can come to a resolution soon," Tony Sapienza, head of communications for ZF North America, said. "The plant continues to run during these discussions." "We're willing to go back to the table, but you're going to have to come up on the wages," Slayton said.Workers say they, too, are hoping for a quick resolution.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. —
Wednesday marked day one of a strike for workers at a major auto supplier in Tuscaloosa.
Nearly 200 workers at ZF in Tuscaloosa are now on strike. The company supplies front and rear axles for Mercedes-Benz in Vance. The workers on strike are members of the United Auto Workers Local 2083 union.
"I think we are all on the same page as in better wages and better benefits," UAW Local 2083 chairperson Tammy Slayton said.
Some of the workers on strike say they've worked for ZF since it opened in Tuscaloosa in 1997.
"These are my brothers and sisters out here with me and we all work together, hard, and we're getting treated like really terrible," longtime employee Patsy McCain-Shelby said.
Some workers say they're spending as many as 12 hours a day at work and believe their family lives are suffering as a result of it.
"We lift heavy parts and we never know when we're getting off," McCain-Shelby added. "We work, usually 6 in the morning, 6:15, to 6:15 at night. And our family is waiting on us to see if we even get off at the right time or not."
A spokesperson for ZF North America tells WVTM 13 that the strike in Tuscaloosa is a local negotiation and unrelated to the national discussions taking place in Detroit.
"We remain committed to continuing negotiations in good faith and are hopeful that we can come to a resolution soon," Tony Sapienza, head of communications for ZF North America, said. "The plant continues to run during these discussions."
"We're willing to go back to the table, but you're going to have to come up on the wages," Slayton said.
Workers say they, too, are hoping for a quick resolution.
English (US)